


A Chance Meeting

by Mortalcoil



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Canon Compliant, Episode: s03e19 Choices, Explicit Language, F/F, Missing Scene, Season/Series 03
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-07
Updated: 2017-02-07
Packaged: 2018-09-22 15:58:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9615107
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mortalcoil/pseuds/Mortalcoil
Summary: A chance meeting between Buffy and Faith a little after the events in Season 3 Episode 19 Choices. Mostly canon compliant.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Ideas pop up when I'm trying to go to sleep. All mistakes are mine! Enjoy.

Buffy walked through the streets of Sunnydale, contemplating her decision earlier that day. Willow and her had been discussing their options for tertiary education. Somehow, both young women had ended up at the same destination, they would be attending UC Sunnydale.

 

It wigged Buffy a little. Not so much that she would be sacrificing greener pastures for guarding the hellmouth, but moving on to a completely different stage of life. She would be going to university. She would need to select a major and choose classes and start thinking about all those adult-type things people did. Buffy just thanked whoever was listening that she wouldn't _really_ have to worry about cooking meals and renting houses for another three or four years.

 

When Buffy first found out about her slayer gig she didn't understand how much it would affect her life. Eventually, over time, she understood how colossally different her life would be, almost accepting it. Not quite. Soon, the time came that she even understood her expiry date, one that she had already outlived. She never expected she would have to worry about planning her adulthood. Who’s silly idea was that?

 

_Gotta love friends!_

 

That thought made her frown. She had friends. That's how she was able to live to the ripe old age of 18, so far. In _some_ countries she'd even be old enough to drink and gamble. Her mind popped up images of the slayers, the ones she occasionally saw in her dreams, and the newer two, Faith and Kendra. None of them had friends, and look how young they died.

 

_Turning over to the dark side, giving in to your hate and anger, that's a sort of death too, isn't it?_

 

Not for the first time, Buffy wondered how different her life would have ended up, how short it would've been if she didn't have her Scooby gang.

 

She imagined it was a rather cold, emotionless place, like a prison of sorts. The only way out was in a body bag.

 

Thinking of Faith, she didn't blame the girl for her promiscuous party-girl attitude. Anything to escape the lonely hell that was slayerdom. Though she couldn't forgive her for her recent actions. Threatening to kill Willow, choking Xander - Buffy had seen the marks - and worst of all, the backwards trick she played with 'Angelus’.

 

Buffy shook those thoughts of her head and looked up from her feet. Somehow they had taken her to the slightly poorer part of town. It wasn't a poor section per se, but there weren't really mansions galore, or any upscale restaurants. Or any restaurant really. There were a couple of corner shops that looked a bit sketchy to Buffy, and there were a few run down bars that were sketchy.

She tended to avoid this area. Coming home smelling of sewage, and looking like it too, after defeating a demon three times the size of her was her job, getting hit on by liquor-soaked men three times her age was not.

 

She just changed direction to begin her walk home when the sound of a scuffle caught her ears.

 

The sound of bone crunching and a winded grunt bounced off the two story brick buildings lining the street, echoing and making it difficult to pinpoint just where it came from.

 

Buffy sighed, reluctantly giving in to use her 'feeling’ to find the fight. It wasn't so much a tingle as an uncomfortable itch on her skin. Her hairs stood on end and she fought off the urge to scratch at her arms. She knew from experience that it wouldn't give any relief, only slaying would. The blonde followed where that itch was strongest and ended up just beside an alleyway.

 

“You don't come here!”

 

Grunt.

 

_Wait, is that Fa-_

 

“You don't _think_ about coming here!”

 

_Is she roughing up some locals? Typical hench er… woman. Typical hench woman. Oh boy, I can't wait to fight her all by myself._

 

“And don't you.” Punch. Another grunt. “ _Dare_ touch her!”

 

_What is she on about anyway?_

 

Buffy stepped closer so she could peer around the building and look into the alley.

 

The dust cleared and there she was. All five foot and five inches of her leather wearing, sexed up, nicotine soaked, sister slayer.

 

Faith planted her foot into another vamp’s face, sending him into the brickwork. She grabbed onto his collar pulling him forward so that when she drew back and punched him his skull collided with a crunch to the wall. She wasn't shouting anymore, merely muttering curses under her breath.

 

The vamp sputtered and cough through blood, “Stop! I work for the Mayor!”

 

She smiled cruelly, “Oh yeah? Well then be my guest! Walk free.”

 

She let go of his collar and stepped back. To anyone else it may have seemed like she was giving the undead man a free pass, but Buffy could see her body was still tense, still poised to attack.

 

Yellow eyes went wide, “Really?”

 

“No,” Faith punched his stomach, “You’re a lowlife bottom feeder, goodbye.” She rammed her stake right through his heart, and smiled as he turned to dust. “Scum,” she muttered and pocketed her stake.

 

“Now Faith,” Buffy made her presence known and stepped into view, “I know you have a low self-esteem but you shouldn't call yourself that.” She could taste the sarcasm on her own viciously smiling lips.

 

Faith's eyes betrayed her in a moment of panic. She quickly relaxed into her self-assured posture, and painted on a grin.

 

“Hey there girlfriend. Miss me so soon?” She started her swagger over to the older slayer.

 

“Tortured or killed anyone lately?” Buffy spat and stepped backwards, away from the approaching brunette.

 

Faith narrowed her eyes and scowled, “Beat it Twinkie. Go rain on someone else's parade. I've got stuff to do.”

 

She made to move past the blonde, shoving her with her shoulder of course, but Buffy snatched her wrist and swung her into the brickwork the last vampire had died against.

 

“Stuff like kill more of your boss’s lackeys? Don't get me wrong,” Buffy pushed against her shoulders, digging Faith's shoulder blades into the wall, “I enjoyed the show. But isn't betrayal _so_ last week?”

 

Faith leant her head back and brought it forward in a quick, sharp and easy headbutt. Buffy stumbled back a few steps. Her nose hurt like hell but after checking she found it wasn't broken. Fury fired up in her, from right down below in her stomach. It spilled out of her mouth.

 

“You’re just some sleazy hoe-bag aren't you?” She screamed, “You play your friends like you play your man whores. You use them and lose them!”

 

Buffy's hands were in small fists and her breathing came in quick and shallow. Her eyes dilated and muscles tensed, she could feel the power of a fight flow right through her.

 

Faith took a big step into the smaller girl's personal space. She looked down at her, “So you sayin’ we were friends then? Sayin’ you gave a shit about me while you were all loved up with your dead man?” She laughed dryly with a flash in her eyes. “You sayin’ we coulda b’n besties? Painting each other's nails. Braiding hair. Sleepovers? Well,” she pulled a stunned Buffy close enough to touch her lips to the perfect ear and whisper, “It's too late for that B.”

 

Faith was just about to lick along the rim when she got a knee to the stomach. She dropped to the ground with a curse and was met with a strong right hook to her jaw. Buffy brought her foot back up to slam it into her face. Faith caught it and twisted it to topple the blonde over. It gained her enough time to stand and brace herself against another attack.

 

Faith had been training, against the Mayor's vampires, strengthening herself and broadening her technique. Sparring with a vamp however, was nothing to fighting with a slayer.

 

Faith dodged to the side as Buffy aimed a jab and kicked out with her left foot, just clipping the blonde in the side. Buffy grunted and fell back but the younger slayer advanced.

 

Faith jumped over a swinging leg and countered it with an uppercut. Buffy recovered quickly. She backhanded Faith, stunning the other slayer just long enough to slam her with a roundhouse kick.

 

Buffy stepped back again. “You were supposed to be a slayer Faith! We don't join those trying kill us!”

 

Buffy wasn't sure if Faith heard, or understood her. The girl answered back a seemingly random reply.

 

“I thought you were gonna be different, ya know?” Faith tilted her head to the side, “I thought you _were_ different B. I thought _we_ were something!”

 

Buffy frowned, her body was groaning to let loose and rid itself of its owner up energy but she dismissed it for the moment, turning that energy into anger.

 

“We _were_ something Faith! We were slayers. Now I'm alone. Again!”

 

Faith's eyes widened and she swung a lazy, but powerful, cross to Buffy's head. The blonde easily swiped it away and stepped back out of reach again.

 

“You think you're alone?” Faith furrowed her brow and bared her teeth, “Since when has anyone been there for me? You've got your Scoobies and your Mom, and your doting fucking watcher and watcher-junior. What have I got? Huh?” She pounded her chest chest with her fists.

 

Buffy scoffed, “Oh boo hoo. Poor Faithy. All alone in the wor-”

 

Faith's fist landed squarely on her temple. Buffy reared back cradling her head. It took her a moment it too for the fuzzy to go away but eventually she was able to stand up tall again.

 

_Well. Ow!_

 

“We could've been it B,” Faith gestured between the two of them, “We were the Chosen. Us two against the underworld. But now we’re here. Now someone's going to die.”

 

Buffy quirked up an eyebrow and almost laughed. “Have you gone loco?” She swirled her finger by her head in a 'crazy’ gesture and then jabbed it in the taller girl's direction, “ _You_ were the one who ruined it. Everything was great until you killed that man. It wasn't even the killing that ruined it Faith. It was the sneaking around, the lies, the blame.”

 

Buffy took a deep breath. Her body was beginning to come down from its high. Both girls had relaxed in a near conversational stance, yet ready in case the other attacked.

 

“I'm not going to let you kill me Faith. Or anyone else in this town.” She looked deep into those chocolate eyes.

 

Faith gave the slightest of nods, acceptance falling upon her features.

 

“I know,” she spoke softly, “You always defeat the badies B. Kind of counting on it.”

 

 _Huh?_ “Huh?” Buffy blinked, completely thrown. “You were in to torturing me the other week, and you tried to kill Willow last night? Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't you the bad-y I'm defeating?”

 

Buffy flexed her fingers and settled them into a fist once more. She was more comfortable that way.

 

Faith stomped back over to Buffy and once more pushed her into the wall. Buffy winced as Faith drew back her fist and slammed it down. Only it didn't hit her face, or body or anything.

 

Crumpled brick fell to the ground from where Faith's fist was nestled into the wall.

 

“You think I don't know that? You think I wanted to become like that? Like me deadbeat stepfather, and stepfather before him?” In her anger her voice dropped into her rough Bostonian grammar-less accent.

 

“Your stepfather tortured slayers and worked for evil apocalypse inducing mayors? Sorry. Stepfather _s_.” Buffy couldn't help herself and tried to bite away her snake-like smile. Sometimes she wished her mouth had an off button in crises like this.

 

Faith groaned in frustration and pushed off with her fist, “Jesus fucking Christ B! How naive are you? I mean I get that you're a fucking queen or whatever, but seriously! How the hell does that,” she poked Buffy's forehead, “Defeat the big bad?”

 

Buffy snatched at the hand Faith was too slow to withdraw. Her emotions were getting the better of her, again. Slowly, she began to bend it backwards and stopped trying to fight the smile that beating Faith gave her.

 

Faith was sex. Faith was confidence. Faith was everything that Buffy wasn't, and Buffy was everything Faith wasn't. Yet they were the same.

 

Faith's mouth twisted into a grimace as she tried to extricate herself from Buffy's grip. It took a kick to Buffy's stomach and they were both sent flying to either side of the ally collapsing down onto the ground.

 

They were tired. Hate was tiring. It's was a red hot black emotion that drew every little bit of energy of the person and both girls were feeling it as they glared at each other from across the grimy cement.

 

“You were my hero B,” Faith sneered, somehow turning what sounded like a compliment into an insult. “I followed you! I was your fucking bitch and you just kicked me down every chance you had. All I wanted was-” She stopped herself and shook her head with a bitter laugh. She wriggled so she was propped up against the wall with her legs stretched out before her.

 

The older slayer ignored her and pulled herself up to stand. Buffy squared her shoulders and walked gracious with poise closer to Faith.

 

“I'm your hero and you couldn't even follow me right Faith.”

 

The brunette laughed, “I know I'm a dropout but at least I know basic grammar even if I don't always use it.” Her head lolled to side in a show of boredom, “That was _past_ tense Blondie. You _were_ my fucking hero. At least 'til I found you were dry humping a corpse again.”

 

“We weren't- ugh!” Buffy huffed, “Why are you always like this? Why is everything so difficult, why can't things with you just be easy?”

 

Faith quirked an eyebrow, “Thought you said I _am_ easy.”

 

“Whatever. This ends Faith. I'm not letting you leave here to go be the Mayor's favourite hench woman. I won't let you kill again.”

 

Faith bit her cheek to shoo away any derogatory comments until she could say clearly what she wanted. “I won't be leaving here tonight with you.”

 

Buffy groaned and brought her hands up as if pulling out her hair. This chick was going to make her go grey. She couldn't go grey!

 

“You have to. They council, I don't, I don't like them. But they'll take you. Away from where you'll get yourself in trouble.”

 

Faith looked up at her and smiled, “'Cause you don't think I'll keep myself in prison.” It was a statement. The smile wavered into a painful stare, “I won't go to the council. The idea of being locked up in a stone dungeon doesn't exactly get me going, ya know? Nah,” she waved, “I'm good here.”

 

“Faith for the last time, come quietly or-”

 

“Or what B?” Faith interrupted with her eyebrows raised high, “What’re you gonna do? Drag me? Chain me? Beat me up? Kill me?” She added almost wistfully.

 

Buffy clenched and unclenched her hands, “Whatever I need to do.”

 

Faith turned her head and distractedly watched her fingers play with the brickwork by her shoulder. The pads of her fingers worked along the crumbling edge of one brick and into the mortar. She started picking at it and smiled as each swipe of her nail dug a hole into the cement binding. It was rough, biting into her skin but delicate enough her fingernail made an impression. She felt there was a metaphor to be placed but she never really liked English class anyway.

 

Buffy kicked at her boot, “Hey Miss Attention-Span, can you last five minutes without getting distracted?”

 

Faith, still picking at the mortar, swiped her leg under Buffy's. The brunette didn't even flinch at the thud of Buffy's butt hitting the ground.

 

“Settle the fuck down Blondie, and step into my office.” She finally turned and grinned at the pissed of slayer.

 

Buffy grunted and adjusted so she wasn't touching the other girl.

 

“Your office is kind of dark and dank,” she brushed her pant leg, “And covered in vamp dust.”

 

Faith ignored the comment and sighed. Her fingers had swapped to an absent tapping as she looked over at the blonde.

 

“I never wanted it to be like this, ok?”

 

Buffy rolled her eyes exasperated, “What did you think it would be like F? What did you think would happen when dumped a body. When you switched sides. When you tried to kill Xander, unleash Angelus and torture me? What did that big ol’ brain of yours think would happen?” Her breathing was coming in quick and harsh and she had to make herself looked away from the wide brown eyes in front of her to calm herself.

 

Faith shrugged. “I didn't really think. I just do.” Her hand gripped the bit of the brick that poked out. “That's always worked for me. Got me food, got me shelter. I've always done what I needed to survive, what I've needed to do to protect myself.” The brick crumbled into nothing under the pressure of her grip. Her hand dropped down to blindly feel for something else on the ground to play with.

 

Buffy say back on her palms, relaxed despite her company and their conversation.

 

“What were you protecting yourself from when you betrayed your calling?” Her voice dropped softer, “When you betrayed me?”

 

The wandering hand found a jagged piece of glass, probably a broken beer bottle, and started scraping it against the ground drawing random patterns.

 

Faith pulled her other hand up to scratch at the base of her neck while her eyes looked anywhere but at Buffy.

 

Eventually she mumbled, “You.”

 

Buffy scoffed unaware of the potential danger of the broken bottle. “You're protecting yourself from _me_? If I'm not mistaken you went bad before I started wailing on you. Just saying.”

 

Chocolate eyes looked down at the hand playing with the glass. “Nah B I don't mean that. I just-” the glass broke in her hand and cut deep into her palm, “Fuck!”

 

Faith pulled her hand into her lap and used the other to put pressure on the cut. Blood flowed out and threatened to ruin her pleather pants.

 

Buffy didn't move to help her. Instead she furrowed her brow. “You just what?”

 

Faith's eyes shot up to her’s in a fit a reborn anger. She clenched her injured hand into a fist and viciously pointed with the other.

 

“I just wish you would get out of my head! Ever since Boston all my fucked up head can think about is Buffy this and Buffy that! You think I liked being your lap dog?” Her pointed finger closed, too, into a fist and she slammed it back into the wall behind her. If she broke something she didn't notice. “No! That's why I'm here. That's why I had to get away. You, you, you. Buffy, Buffy, Buffy. Buffy, the one who _never_ does anything wrong. I thought being a slayer meant I could get some meaning in the world! But no, I'll always be second rate to the hot little blonde. Always nothing,” she spat.

 

Buffy pushed up with her palms and flipped to land on her feet. She stared wildly down at the brunette.

 

“You think I never do anything wrong? You think every loves the short, weird, cross-wearing airhead? People have _died_ because of my mistakes. I carry that with me all the time. You think you're second rate?” Buffy crossed her arms with her hip cocked our, “Well maybe you should have freaking _done_ something about that instead of following me around! I never asked you to be my lap dog.”

 

“Nah B - fuck,” Faith stood up awkwardly, both of her hands screaming in pain, “With you around I can't do anything. You just- you just- Argh!” She shoved Buffy away from her in frustration.

 

The shorter girl stepped forward back into Faith's personal space, “I just what? Huh?”

 

Face threw a left hook into Buffy's temple. It wasn't that hard a hit considering she wasn't a southpaw, but from the pain Faith knew her right hand was broken after hitting the brick.

 

“You're too fucking perfect!” She cried out.

 

Buffy recovered quickly and kicked out to her solar plexus, snapping Faith's head back into the wall. Buffy gave a hard punch to her cheek with a disturbing cracking sound making her sure she'd broken a bone somewhere. The brunette didn't attempt a counter attack so Buffy stepped back, relaxing a little but prepared to defend.

 

Faith chuckled with a wince and looked directly into Buffy's eyes. “Gotta do more than that to get you outta my head. I've tried.”

 

“Faith you're sick. You've got some sick perverted crush on a version of me that isn't even real. What made you think killing and torturing was the answer?”

 

Faith tilted her head to the side pondering the question herself. She knew the answer. At least she thought she knew the answer. Relationships weren't really a thing for her. Emotions even less. She vaguely remembered her Da but it was so long ago she wasn't sure if he was just a little girl's illusion. Her Ma wasn't the best example either. Between the drugs, the sex and the rough handling the woman didn't exactly instil healthy ways of gaining and reciprocating love. And Faith's boyfriends, less emotional commitment and more commitment to fucking each other when needed or wanted. Needing and wanting, Faith reckoned they were the same thing.

 

She shrugged. “I'm not a thinker I told you that. I focus on one problem at a time. The problem then was you always on my fucking ass about my mistakes. What was I supposed to do?”

 

 _Oh my God. I'm dealing with an insane woman_ , Buffy couldn't help but think.

 

“Umm… do the normal thing and talk to me? Sure we migh’ve fought but it wouldn't have gotten this bad. I mean Jesus Faith! You're helping some vile man kill people! He's going to destroy this town!”

 

“...S goo… o me,” Faith mumbled.

 

The petite blonde tapped her foot impatiently, “What?”

 

“I said he's good to me! He looks after me! He cares about me and he feeds me,” she frowned staring at her feet, “Haven't had that before.”

 

“Faith,” Buffy sighed with a pinch of frustration, “This can't go on like this. You can’t keep playing the victim game. Maybe when you were younger and your Mom wasn't nice,” Faith scoffed at this, “But you're a slayer now Faith. You don't get to be a victim. You have to use your strength to save others, the true victims. That's your meaning Faith. Your meaning wasn't nothing.”

 

Faith licked at the blood seeping from her split lip.

 

“But now it is Faith,” Buffy continued, “Because you chose to use your powers for destruction, _now_ you have no meaning.”

 

Faith's eyes shot back up to Buffy's, a mixture of fury and fear. There was also understanding there, like she was following the calculations that Buffy used to get to that conclusion and she accepted it. Faith accepted her fate and the path she took to achieve it.

 

“I can't come back B.”

 

“I know,” Buffy replied softly.

 

Faith nodded and looked out to the street. “You're going to kill me.”

 

She shivered, “I don't want to.”

 

The younger slayer laughed quietly and turned back to Buffy. In a swift move she lifted her hands to Buffy's jaw and pulled her in for a quick, chaste kiss on the lips. Brown eyes stared into green.

 

“But you will.”

 

Faith slid her hands away from Buffy and walked slow steps back out to into the night.

 

Buffy was left standing in the middle of a dark alley with a single tear running through the trail of blood left from Faith's injured hand.

 

She briefly wondered why the younger girl was out here beating up vampires in the first place. The thought flickered away.

 

Buffy followed Faith's footsteps back to the street then turned on her heel to walk in the opposite direction.

 

They each had a fate chosen for them, borne from their decisions.

 

 


End file.
